1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foldable portable telephone, and in particular, to a foldable portable telephone which is to be so folded that the main operation unit and the main display come to the inner side.
2. Description of the Related Art
As functions of portable telephones have increased, a foldable type comes to the main stream in order to cope with demands to increase displaying volume of the displays. When operated for phone calls or mail, a foldable portable telephone is operated after it is opened. In order to solve such an inconvenience that a user operates the portable telephone after opening it, there is disclosed a structure in which a second display is arranged at a position where information can be checked without opening the portable telephone (for example, see the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-141993).
However, in the conventional foldable portable telephone described above, there is a problem that when operated for calls or mail, it must be operated after opened, which is inconvenient for a user.
With the structure disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-141993, although it is not necessary to open the portable telephone to check received mail, there still remains a problem that it must be opened for sending mail.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a foldable portable telephone with high convenience, which is capable of achieving a mail sending function and the like without open-close operations.
A foldable portable telephone according to the present invention comprises: a body of the portable telephone which is foldably formed; a main operation unit for causing a function of the body of the portable telephone to be executed; a main display for displaying electronic data retained in the portable telephone; a sub-display arranged at a viewable position in the folded state; and a communication controlling means arranged at an operable position in the folded state. The main operation unit and the main display are arranged at positions on the inner sides of the body of the portable telephone when folded, and the sub-display displays the electronic data retained in the portable telephone. The communication controlling means is to be operated in the state that the body of the portable telephone is folded, and performs controlling for displaying on the sub-display the electronic data retained in the portable telephone and controlling of communications of the electronic data to be displayed on the sub-display.
In the present invention, the communication control unit is operated, electronic data retained in the body of the portable telephone is displayed, and among the electronic data, a piece of electronic data to be controlled for communications is selected, in the state that the body of the portable telephone is folded. After the electronic data is selected, the communication control unit is operated again to control communications of the selected electronic data.
Therefore, electronic data retained in the portable telephone can be sent or taken into the portable telephone while the body of the portable telephone is folded. In a case that the electronic data is an e-mail message which has been stored and retained in the portable telephone, the message can be sent while the portable telephone is folded.
The electronic data may be Internet data registered and retained in the portable telephone, or Web site data obtained through connecting to a Web site by using the Internet data and stored in the portable telephone. With the electronic data, it is possible to upload or download data, in the state that the body of the portable telephone is folded, with the use of the Internet.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the communication controlling means be configured to include a plurality of operation buttons.
With this configuration, by assigning functions of the communication control means to a plurality of operation buttons, and selectively operating these operation buttons, it is possible to cause the functions of the communication control means to be executed effectively.
It is preferable that a plurality of operation buttons be arranged around the sub-display.
With this configuration, the operation buttons can be operated while being checked through a display of the sub-display.
In the present invention, it is also preferable that a plurality of operation buttons be arranged around the sub-display and on a side surface of the body of the portable telephone.
With this configuration, arrangements of the operation buttons can be set considering the functions assigned to respective operation buttons.
Further, in the present invention, shapes of the operation buttons may differ according to the functions thereof.
With this configuration, although a plurality of operation buttons are provided, the functions necessary for communication controls can be differentiated based on the shapes of the buttons.
In the present invention, the operation buttons may be assigned a function of selecting electronic mail data as well as a function other than the function of selecting electronic mail data. In this case, the operation buttons may be assigned a function of playing a ring tone in addition to the function of selecting electronic mail data. Further, the operation buttons may be assigned a function of displaying a schedule on the sub-display in addition to the function of selecting electronic data. The operation buttons may also be assigned a function of displaying on the sub-display a piece of electronic mail data selected from plural pieces of electronic mail data. The operation buttons may also be assigned a function of registering electronic mail data. Further, the operation buttons may be assigned the function of selecting electronic mail data or a function of sending electronic mail data as well as a function other than the function of selecting a mail message and the function of sending electronic mail data. Further, the operation buttons may be assigned the function of playing a ring tone in addition to the function of selecting electronic mail data or the function of sending electronic mail data. Further, the operation buttons may be assigned the function of displaying a schedule to the sub-display in addition to the function of selecting electronic mail data or the function of sending electronic mail data.